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The prosecution in the Schabir Shaik fraud and corruption trial on Thursday called on the Durban High Court to accept the so-called encrypted fax as a credible source of evidence. The request was based on contradictions in the defence’s case and Shaik’s lack of credibility as a witness.
Bomb-disposal experts swept a Phalaborwa courtroom for incendiary devices, the front row of the public gallery was cleared to make way for a line of police crowd-control officers, and parking outside the court was cordoned off in preparation for judgement in the lion murder trial of Mark Scott-Crossley and Simon Mathebula on Thursday.
Infinity Broadcasting, a terrestrial radio company whose business model is being challenged by the iPod phenomenon, is borrowing a page from its rival’s playbook. Next month, Infinity will convert an underperforming station in San Francisco to a format that will broadcast only ”podcasts,” or amateur recordings distributed via the internet that are intended for listeners’ iPods and other digital music players.
European Aircraft giant Airbus Industrie has cried foul over state-run Air India’s decision to buy 50 Boeing jets, saying it was denied a chance to show off its new A380 superjumbo. Airbus urged the Indian government to order a new tender after Air India approved on Tuesday the purchase of up to 50 Boeing planes worth -billion.
The retail price of petrol in South Africa is set to rise by 20 cents per litre (c/l) across all grades of petrol from Wednesday May 4, the Department of Minerals and Energy said on Thursday. The increase means that the price of inland 93 grade petrol will rise from R5,02 to R5,22, and to R5,11 a litre at the coast.
Global resources group BHP Billiton on Thursday reported increases in the production of iron ore, metallurgical coal, manganese ore, manganese alloys, natural gas, aluminium, copper, silver, lead, energy coal and ferrochrome for the nine months to March this year, compared with the nine months ended March last year.
World number four gold-miner Gold Fields on Thursday reported a decline in headline earnings per share to two cents for the March 2005 quarter from nine cents in the December quarter. Analysts surveyed by I-Net Bridge had expected Gold Fields to report headline earnings per share of 12 cents.
The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) was down by more than 1,5% in noon trade on Thursday after resources plunged by more than 3%. At noon, the all-share and all-share industrial indices were down 1,61% and 0,65% respectively. Financials dropped by 0,37% and the banks index was 0,67% lower.
The Titans celebrated Freedom Day in style in Pretoria on Wednesday, with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the Warriors in the final of the Standard Bank Pro20 series. The Warriors started reasonably well, with their first 50 coming up in the eighth over, and at 102 for four appeared set for a challenging total.
The total number of liquidations increased by 32,6% year-on-year (y/y) to 301 after easing by 0,7% y/y in February 2005 to 296 following a 15,5% y/y decline in January 2005 to 328, Statistics South Africa said on Thursday. The record monthly total of 511 was reached in August 2000.